A 400-g piece of metal at 120°C is dropped into a cup containing 450 g of water at 15.0°C. The final temperature of the system is 40.0°C. What is the specific heat of the metal, assuming no heat is exchanged with the surroundings or the cup?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The heat lost by the metal equals the heat gained by the water. Using the formula $m \cdot c \cdot \Delta T$ for both, solve for the specific heat $c$ of the metal. The calculation gives approximately 1470 J/(kg∙K).

A 400-G Piece of Metal at 120°C Is Dropped into a Cup